Davis leads 72 colleagues in drive to bolster rural broadband access

U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-IL) fronted a bipartisan contingent of 72 lawmakers seeking more federal funds to strengthen broadband connectivity in rural America. 

Rep. Davis joined U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) and other colleagues in requesting that leaders of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies provide $550 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s ReConnect Program, which helps improve broadband internet connectivity in rural and underserved areas. 

Additionally, as members on the subcommittee consider fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations, Rep. Davis and his colleagues requested $350 million for the rural broadband loan and grant program — an amount they said was authorized in the 2018 Farm Bill. 

The total funding would represent an overall increase of $350 million in rural broadband development funding from FY 2019.

“These programs play a role in meeting the goal of broadband access for all Americans,” wrote Rep. Davis and the other lawmakers in an April 4 letter sent to the subcommittee’s leadership. 

The bipartisan group also stressed the immediate need to expand high-speed internet access for rural homes, schools and businesses.

“Affordable broadband access is critical for the economic development of rural communities, enabling them to fully participate in the internet-based economy,” according to their letter. “It enables farmers to use precision agriculture techniques, patients to access medical care remotely via telemedicine, children to conduct research for school projects, and businesses to engage with customers.”

However, the members pointed to data from the Federal Communications Commission’s recent 2018 Broadband Deployment Report showing that more than 30 percent of Americans in rural areas lack access to high-speed broadband, compared to 2 percent of Americans living in urban areas.

“We believe that support for these programs is critical to address the digital divide and ensure that our rural communities have equal access to opportunity,” they wrote.